Something To Be Proud Of
by CecilyAurora
Summary: "Are you proud of me?" Lucas said it as fast as he could. He didn't know why he was thinking that no one was proud of him. He was stuck in a rut lately, with Bria leaving for school this coming August things just been hectic and a new baby on the way. He didn't know where life was going. Something like a mid-life crisis but only at the age of thirty-six. One-Shot!


**Summary: **"Are you proud of me?" Lucas said it as fast as he could. He didn't know why he was thinking that no one was proud of him. He was stuck in a rut lately, with Bria leaving for school this coming August things just been hectic and a new baby on the way. He didn't know where life was going. Something like a mid-life crisis but only at the age of thirty-six.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. I wish I owned James or Chad. Damn I would be one of the most happiest people on earth. Oh well. The lyrics and title are owned by Montgomery Gentry. It was my inspiration for this one shot.

**Author's Note:** So I fell in love with this song a while ago and inspiration came yesterday to write this little thing. I hope you all enjoy it.

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**That's Something To Be Proud Of**

_That's something to be proud of  
__That's a life you can hang your hat on  
__That's a chin held high as the tears fall down  
__A gut sucked in, a chest stuck out  
__Like a small town flag a-flyin'  
__Or a newborn baby cryin'  
__In the arms of the woman that you love  
__That's something to be proud of_

"Hey Lilly, is mom home?" Lucas walked into his mother's house not even bothering to knock. Since he moved out eighteen years ago after the birth of his first daughter he never did knock again. This place was his second home; it was where he grew up.

"Kitchen." Lilly mumbled not even taking her eyes off the television and her cell phone.

"Tell Liam that if he doesn't hand in his paper he's not going to be able to graduate tonight." Lucas laughed to himself. It was one perk for him to be the English teacher along with Haley at Tree Hill High, he stayed on top of his sister's work along with her friends.

"I hate how you do that."

"Just keeping an eye out for everyone Lils."

"I thought I heard your voice." Karen smiled hugging her son. "What brings you by my son?"

"I just thought I'd stop by and say hi."

"You don't just stop by and say hi, Luke. Unless you are dropping Bria over for Lilly." Karen pointed out. "Something's on your mind my boy, what is it?"

Lucas shook his head lightly with a smile on his face. "How do you always know when something's on my mind?"

"Luke, as Brooke even calls you, you're a broodier. You brood whenever something is wrong. Just spill it."

"Are you proud of me?" Lucas said it as fast as he could. He didn't know why he was thinking that no one was proud of him. He was stuck in a rut lately, with Bria leaving for school this coming August things just been hectic and a new baby on the way. He didn't know where life was going. Something like a mid-life crisis but only at the age of thirty-six.

"Why would you think I'm not?" Karen smiled softly. "Lucas Eugene."

"Middle name does not get spoken, Mother."

"I still can't believe your middle name is Eugene." Lilly laughed from the living room.

"Lilly, go do something productive." Karen laughed. "You've been sitting in front of that TV all day."

"Everything gets ruined when Luke gets here. Party pooper." Lilly pouted stomping her way through the kitchen towards her room.

"Lil, cut the dramatic flare." Karen laughed. "Luke I am proud of you, you know that right?"

"I guess, I just feel like mistakes were made along the way."

"So yeah you and Brooke had Bria at eighteen and had to stay in Tree Hill and go to community college. You made that sacrifice for Bria. You both finished college and each have good jobs. I'm proud of you for staying and not running away. I'm proud because you gave up things along the way. Be proud of yourself and cut this whole mid-life crisis thing. You have three kids and one on the way. I think you accomplished a lot."

"Thanks ma." Lucas smiled.

"Now with you done, I can handle your dramatic sister." Karen laughed.

"Hey at least she's eighteen and broke the Scott trend of having a kid at eighteen." Lucas tried to lighten the mood earning him a slap in the back of the head. "That hurt!"

"You deserved it! You almost gave me a heart attack when you told me Brooke was pregnant. Don't give my good child any ideas."

"Good child? I'm hurt, Ma."

"Luke I go away for two weeks and come home to find out you're tattooed and knocked some girl up."

"You love Brooke, though." Lucas pointed out.

"Yes I do, now Lucas. But no mother whose been there in your footsteps before wants two teenagers to go through it. I am proud of you and Brooke, so proud. You two raised an amazing girl and have two more amazing children. It wasn't the path I wanted you two to go down but you two did it."

"I'm just reminiscing, I guess." Lucas shrugged. "Bria's going to school in the fall in freaking California, Ma, it's too far away."

"So that's what this is about? Bria going away for school?" Karen was worried now. "Lilly will be with her there. They'll be fine."

"Brooke's just pushing for us move out there to be close to her. I can't just pick up and move across the country."

"Luke, its something every mother goes through. Her baby is leaving her. Give her time. She'll end up not wanting too. Just let her talk if she needs you."

"Luke, Bria says you need to get home. Brooke's in a mood." Lilly joined them in the kitchen. "She's screaming at Austin."

"Of course she is." Lucas shook his head. Brooke and Austin never seemed to get along anymore since Austin turned thirteen. Austin wanted the freedom and Brooke wanted her baby boy. "I'll see you two tonight."

"If I failed it, can't you just pass me since you're my favorite older brother?"

"Lilly, go do something." Karen rolled her eyes at the teen. "Go see your wife before she kills the miniature you."

**-X-X-X-**

Lucas walked inside the house him and Brooke bough after endless years of saving as much as possible from each paycheck. It was small, very small when comparing the house Brooke grew up in to this one, but it was their home. He laughed as a dirty brown haired little girl came running over to him.

"Daddy, you gonna be in trouble!" Jordana stood in front of him with her hands resting on her hips. Her once dimpled smile was replaced with a pout. Lucas couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Why's that Jordy?" Lucas lifted her into his arms.

"You didn't come home! You went to Grandma's! Mommy and Austin are fighting."

"What are they fighting about now?" Lucas pondered to his younger daughter.

"He's got a baseball game today and mommy's telling him he can't go."

"I got it. Why don't you go annoy Bria and make sure she's studying?"

"That's not fun anymore." Jordana stomped away.

"Brooke? Austin?" Lucas walked down the hall.

"Daddy, can you please sign this?" Bria stopped him in the hallway.

"What's it for?" Lucas knew better then to just sign it. He made that mistake when Bria got detention with Lilly for talking in class too much and he had no idea she did because he signed without looking.

"You know that whole senior night in after graduation today?" Bria asked holding out the sheet of paper. "Well I don't want to go. Lilly and Jamie got out of it to go to the bonfire at the beach and I kind of want to go to that." Tree Hill started a new event for the night of graduation to have the seniors all locked away in the gym starting at six o'clock to prevent partying from happening. "Can I? Please daddy? I'll be home by curfew and you know Jamie will look after Lilly and me. Plus if grandma said yes, I don't understand how you and mom could say no."

"What did your mother say?" Lucas raised his one eyebrow at the teen.

"Well, I didn't ask her yet. I know she would probably say no. She in to this whole you're leaving in three months so you need to spend every waking moment with me."

"I'm not signing this till you ask her. If she says yes, I'll sign it. If not, you're going to the school event Little B." Lucas handed the sheet back. "Talk to her, she'll probably say yes."

"Ugh, you're no help, Daddy." Bria stomped.

"What is with all these Scott girls stomping?" Lucas thought out loud.

"Lucas Eugene deal with your spoiled rotten son!" Brooke was exhausted. She was stressed because her baby was leaving in three months, she was seven months pregnant and her son was driving her off the wall.

"I'm not spoiled!" Austin complained following her.

"You're not going on Friday! Your sister is graduating high school and you will be there!" It came as a shock to everyone when Austin fell in love with the sport of baseball. He broke the Scott men trend of basketball. As long as Austin loved the sport, Lucas and Brooke were going to support it.

"It's the last game of the season, Mom! I need to go. If I don't play I can't play in the playoffs and if we win those we go to championship in Florida!" The thirteen-year-old blonde begged. "Dad help me out here!"

"Austin, I understand the importance of this game for you but, your sister only graduates from high school once. This is important to your sister." Lucas calmly stated. It broke his heart that he had to deny his son his one wish; it had to be done though. "You'll get to play in the championship game if you make it still, Austin. I'm sorry that you have to miss it, but it's needed."

"Why does everything revolve around the girls in this family? Can't baseball be important too?"

"It is important Austin. Just things come up that are more important like a high school graduation. This issue is final." Lucas warned. "One more word about it and you won't be playing in the championships."

"I hate this!" Austin pouted going to his room.

"I never got to say hello to my beautiful wife." Lucas pulled Brooke into his arms.

"Hello Broody." Brooke leaned in for a kiss. "I missed you today. I don't think I can handle staying home every day."

"You know you'll regret it if you go back to work when this one is born, but then again it will help pay for the medical bills to have this one." Lucas smirked rubbing Brooke's enlarged belly.

"Hey, its not my fault you cant say no to me." Brooke added a wink.

"I think I like not being able to tell you no." Lucas pulled her in for another kiss.

"That's nasty." Jordana laughed covering her eyes. "My eyes are burning. Help me!"

"Jordy cut the dramatics." Brooke shook her head laughing. "You're a silly girl, you know that?"

"That's cause I'm the favorite." Jordana plastered a dimpled smile on her face.

"Till you become a middle child. It changes everything." Bria smirked walking out of her room. She loved Jordana, but she was easily tormented- which made things fun. "You won't be loved anymore."

"Mommy!" Jordana started tearing up. "Is that true?"

"Absolutely not. Bria Grace Scott!" Brooke hissed, "Apologize this instant."

"Sorry, Jordy." Bria shrugged. "Mommy, can you sign this before I have to get ready?"

"If you're calling me mommy you must be in trouble or want something. Which one is it, Bria?" Brooke rested her hand on her hip.

"Can you sign this?"

"What did you get into?" Brooke raised an eyebrow at her.

"Nothing bad, this time. I just don't want to get locked in the high school tonight since there's a party going on at the beach tonight and Grandma and Aunt Haley both said Lilly and Jamie could go. Jamie said he's look after us and he'll drive. We won't drink. Please?"

"I guess." Brooke shrugged turning to Lucas. "What do you say Luke?"

"As long as you don't drink and if you do call me. Call someone, if not me. We'll come get you."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Bria screamed with excitement.

"Now get ready my soon to be high school graduate." Brooke smiled. She got teary eyed at what she just said.

"Mom please don't cry. We already know you, Aunt Haley and Grandma will be crying but don't cry now."

"Honey, its this stupid pregnancy emotions." Brooke smiled.

"You okay, Babe?" Lucas was worried.

"I'm fine Broody, just a little sad. I don't want my baby growing up."

"Mom, you'll have a new baby soon and you have Jordana and Austin. You have another eighteen years and I have a feeling that you'll want another one."

"No more babies after this one!" Lucas sternly stated. "This one cost me enough that I'm going to paying off till they graduate high school."

"Oh calm down, Broody." Brooke smiled. "I get what I want, if I want another baby we'll have another one. Right now I'm fine at four."

"You better be done." Lucas shook his head. He was only thirty-six but felt much older then that. The three kids he has already keep him going non-stop and now starting the whole sleepless nights all over again will be a struggle. He kissed both girl's foreheads before exiting the room.

"Mom you'll be okay, right?"

"Little B, I'll be fine." Brooke pulled her into her arms. "I love you my almost high school graduate. Now lets go get ready. Your diploma is waiting for you."

"Will you do my make up?"

"Of course." Brooke smiled. She didn't get to accomplish her goal of becoming a fashion designer, but she did allow her self to design dresses for people on an individual basis and doing make-up for others. She might have accomplished it if Bria didn't join them but she accomplished another goal of being a mother. "Now go get dressed."

**-X-X-X-**

"You did it baby girl." Lucas beamed as he wrapped Bria in his arms.

"Couldn't have done it without the best English teacher ever." Bria giggled.

"Hey what about me?" Haley joked acting like she was hurt.

"Aunt Tutor Girl, you know I couldn't of done it without you. None of us could've done it without you two."

"Don't give them all the credit, B. I think we did one damn good job!" Jamie smirked the infamous Scott smirk he inherited from his father.

"Just because you're eighteen, doesn't mean I can't wash your mouth out with soap young man." Haley stared at her son causing the family to crack up laughing.

Embarrassed as can be, Jamie ducked his head. "Sorry, Ma."

"It's okay." Haley smiled. "I'll let it go, my high school graduate."

Through out the two-hour graduation ceremony, Brooke, Haley and Karen cried through the whole thing causing Lucas and Nathan to not understand what to do to comfort them.

"Can we get the party going now?" Lilly laughed. "It's time to celebrate."

"Yes." Karen smiled back at her daughter. "We'll see you all at the café?"

"We'll be there." Brooke said. "I'm starving."

"Sadly." Austin mumbled low enough so no one would hear him.

"Watch it, Austin." Lucas warned.

"Mommy, you always starving." Jordana stated point blank.

"That's because I'm eating for two, Jordy. You're daddy's the one to blame right now."

"I am not the one to blame for this!" Lucas huffed. "It's your idea!"

"Okay, children break it up and let's go." Nathan smirked.

"I'm proud of you Bria." Lucas smiled wrapping his oldest into his arms once again before they climbed into the car. "More then you will ever know."

"Thank you, Daddy." Bria smiled. "I couldn't of done it without you or mom."

"I think it would be possible."

"Dad?" Bria stared at her father. She was excited for graduation and moving on to collage, but deep inside she will always be daddy's little princess.

"Yeah, Princess?"

"I wanted to say thank you for everything."

"No, thank you for making me proud with everything you do." Lucas smiled. "Now climb in and let's go eat before your Uncle eats everything."

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too, B."

In this moment, looking at his family in the car, he felt proud. Proud of himself, and proud of the life he created with Brooke. It wasn't the path he originally wanted to go down, but it was the perfect one for me.

_And if all you ever really do is the best you can  
__Well, you did it man_

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**Complete.**

**What do you all think?**


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